Roza Otunbayeva, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), at a joint meeting with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) officials in Kabul on Tuesday warned that the Taliban’s restrictions on women’s education, employment, and access to healthcare will have severe and long-term consequences for women and girls.
Speaking at the event, Otunbayeva described the discussions as “important and constructive,” emphasizing that women’s rights were at the center of the talks.
“Addressing these challenges requires greater intervention and immediate, practical action,” she said.
Otunbayeva’s remarks follow a joint statement by women foreign ministers from 17 countries, who recently condemned the Taliban’s treatment of women, calling Afghanistan “the most repressive country in the world for women” under their rule.
The statement urged the Taliban to repeal restrictions on women and girls, including the group’s so-called “morality laws”, which have further eroded their rights and freedoms.
